Tories accused of letting down city over station funding

12.20.12pm GMT Thu 4th Mar 2010

Nichola Harrison

Cambridge Liberal Democrats have accused Tories on the county council of letting down city residents after failing to secure money for Chesterton railway station.

The project is under serious threat after the government pulled the plug on the Transport Innovation Fund which included £25 million for the station.

Lib Dems have laid the blame firmly at the feet of the Conservatives claiming that they jeopardised the project by wrapping it in TIF.

Now they fear for the future of the new station which would serve Chesterton residents and workers on the city's Science Park and Business Park.

Julian Huppert, Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidate for Cambridge has fought for years for the new station as an East Chesterton County Councillor and a member of the East of England Regional Assembly.

He said: "'What I want to know, and what people in Cambridge want to know is: Why did the Tories decide to roll the funding for the station in with the doomed TIF bid? What will they do now? Have they completely wrecked our chances of getting a station built soon?"

"This station is desperately needed to take cars out of the city and ease congestion on the A10 towards Ely. Now we are back to square one."

Liberal Democrat Environment Spokesperson, Nichola Harrison said: "This is the Conservatives' second dismal failure, after the Guided Bus debacle, to deliver major transport projects."

Susannah Kerr, East Chesterton Councillor said: "This station is badly needed for residents and people working on the Science Park and Business Park.

""The Lib Dems have fought long and hard to get this project to the top of the regional priority list. It cannot be allowed to be lost."